Direction-signal for vehicles.



H. SCHUMACHER.

DIRECTI ON SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES. APPucmofl mm OCI. a. 1914.

Patented Jpne13, 1916.

Fi l.

lNVENTDR WTNESEEB 4 ATTURNEY:

25 attachment lookingYforwardly from the HENRY SCHUMACHER, OF BUFFALO,NEW YORK.

DIRECTION-SIGNAL FOB, VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 13, 1916.

Application filed October 8, 1914. Serial No. 865,727.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY SCIIUMACIIER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erieand State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements inDirection-Signals for Vehicles, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to signal or indicating devices for usesinconnection with vehicles, particularly in connection with automobiles,where it is desirable to indicate the direction in which one intends toturn when rounding a turn.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive devicewhich is within convenient reach of the operator and one which will beautomatically locked in the position to which the same is turned.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the forwardend of an automobile showing my device attached thereto. Fig. 2 is anenlarged horizontal section of the working parts embodying my invention.Fig. 3 is a front elevation of my seat of the automobile.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

1 indicates the body of an automobile, 2 the hood and 3 the customarysteering wheel.

4 indicates a main longitudinal rock shaft 'journaled horizontally atits rear end in a suitable bearing 5 mounted on the dash board 6 of theautomobile, or other suitable support, and provided in its forward endwith a spindle 7 which latter is journaled in a suitable end thrustbearing or socket S. This bearing or socket is preferably mounted on theradiator 9 by a clamp having two semi-circular sections engaging withopposite sides of the radiator filler 10, one of said clamping sectionsbeing preferably formed on the bearing 8 and detachably connected withthe companion clamp section by bolts 11. The bearing 5 is of a largerdiameter at its outer or front end than at its rear end and is reamedout to form a socket 12 which is adapted to receive a spiral spring 13surrounding the shaft 4 secured therein under compression by means of adisk 15 keyed to the shaft 4, thus allowing for slight variationsin thedistance between the dash board and the filler of the radiator andserving to hold the parts together snugly. The spindle 7 is provided atits front end with a laterally swinging arm 16 upon which a fiag 16 orother visible indicating device may be mounted and which may be turnedso as to expose this indicatoron either side of the car according to thedirection in which the driver intends to turn his automobiie.

17 indicates an auxiliary horizontal longitudinal operating shaftjournalcd at its for ward end in a suitable bearing 18 mounted on thedash board 6 while its rear end is journaled in a suitable bearing 1'9.This last mentioned bearing is preferablp pivoted on one section 20 of aclamp engaging with one side of the steering post support "22 of theautomobile and connected by bolts 90 with the other section 21 of saidclamp engaging with the other side of said post.- This bearing 19 ispreferably pivoted in order that it may be properly attached t esteering posts arranged at various angles,

The rock shaft 17 is bent up.a't its front end to form a rock arm 23,while the rock shaft 4 is also bent up at its rear endto form a rock arm24. The said rock arms are preferably connected together by a link 25.having at opposite ends thereof suitable sockets 26, 27 adapted toreceive suitable ball heads 28, 29 of the rock arms 23, 2% respectively.

30 indicates an operating handle pinned or otherwise secured to theinner end of the rock shaft 17. Notches 31 are provided in the innerface of the bearing 19 which are adapted to receive an outwardlyprojecting lug of the handle 30, these notches being preferably three innumber and so spaced as to hold the indicating lever 16 either in avertical or inoperative position, or in lat orally inclined positionstoward the right or the left, as the case may be. A spring 34surrounding the rock shaft 17 serves to draw the lever 30 forwardly,thereby causing the lug 32 to engage with any of the three notches whenbrought into register with the same, in which position it remains untilreset by the driver.

In order to permit of freely raising or lowering the clamping sections20, 21 on the steering post 22 to suit different drivers withoutrequiring a variety of supports for horizontal transverse stud 18 otedin a bearing socket 18 secured to the dash board 6, 2, and which isconfined socket by a pin 18* and engaging with 18 in the stud 18 It isobvious from the foregoing description that my improved directionindicator for vehicles enables persons in front as Well as in the rearof the respective vehicle to be informed as to the particular directionthis vehicle intends to proceed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised a simple andinexpensive device for signaling automobiles which may be readilyattached to any form of car.

claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a hearingadapted to be secured to the dash board of an automobile, a horizontalshaft provided with a spindle at its outer end and supported in saidbearing, an end thrust bearing supported on the radiator of saidautomobile, means to yieldingly maintain said spindle in contact withsaid thrust bearing, a signal device carried by said spindle, and anauxiliary horizontal shaft provided with a lever having connections withsaid first mentioned horizontal shaft for transmitting movement thereto.1

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a bearingadapted to be secured to the dash board of an automobile, a horizontalshaft provided with a spindle at its outer end and supported in saidbearing. an end thrust bearing supported on the radiator of saidautomobile, a collar fixed to sa d shaft, a spiral spring surroundingsaid which is pivin a bracket 18 as shown in Fig. in said bearingarranged on the bracket a circumferential groove shaft between itscollar and the bearing on the dash board and adapted to yieldinglymaintain said spindle in contact with said end thrust bearing, a signaldevice carried by said spindle, and an auxiliary horizontal shaftprovided with a lever having connections with said first mentioned shaftfor transmitting movement thereto.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a bearingadapted to be secured to the dash board of an automobile, a horizontalshaft provided with a spindle at its outer end and supported in saidbearing, an end thrust bearing supported on the radiator of theautomobile, a collar fixed to said shaft, a spiral spring surroundingsaid shaft between said collar and bearing and adapted to yieldinglymaintain said spindle in said end thrust bearing, a signal devicecarried by said spindle, an auxiliary horizontal shaft j ournaled at itsouter end in a bearing mounted on the dash board and journalcd at itsinner end in a bearing mounted on the steering post of the automobile,said auxiliary shaft having connection with the first mentioned shaftfor transmitting movement thereto, a hand lever attached to theauxiliary shaft and provided with a lug on its outer face, said bearingon the steering post having notches on its face adapted to register withsaid lug, and resilient means for yieldingly holding the lug in engagement with said notches.

Witness my hand this 7th day of October,

HEN RY SCHUMA CHER. lVitnesses WV. REINHoLn, TIIEU. L. Porr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for flveeents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. I

